This comes after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong denied Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s request to declare a state of emergency, which means the budget will be tabled in Parliament on Nov 6 as originally planned.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs’ (IDEAS) CEO Tricia Yeoh said that MPs from both sides of the political divide must set aside their differences and prioritise the health and well-being of Malaysians.

“A compromise must be struck between both the government and opposition MPs in order for Budget 2021 to be eventually passed, as this will undoubtedly involve some form of dealmaking.

“The country is truly at crossroads and the country’s leaders have this one opportunity to choose the right path to do the right thing. We hope that they will demonstrate leadership in a time of crisis, today,” Yeoh said in a statement.

The statement cites reports of civil society organisations and MPs who have suggested a confidence and supply agreement may be struck in order to pass the government’s budget, which IDEAS supports but with some conditions.

“Any negotiation towards achieving this compromise must first and foremost be transparent, as the public deserves to know the intentions of their elected representatives.

“Second, these negotiations must be policy-oriented in nature, and not involve the promise of patronage-oriented distribution of positions or other lucrative arrangements,” she said.

Lastly, Yeoh stressed that any agreement must not compromise on the criminal charges that some prominent MPs are currently facing.

She said that such a compromise would ensure political and institutional stability and allow the government to focus on the health and economic recovery of the nation.

She added that if a general election becomes necessary during the pandemic, the Election Commission (EC) should be provided the necessary resources to ensure it is carried out safely.

“The EC must draw on the lessons learned from the Sabah state election in September.”